Joshua 16:4 kjv
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
Joshua 16:4 nkjv
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
Joshua 16:4 niv
So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.
Joshua 16:4 esv
The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.
Joshua 16:4 nlt
This was the homeland allocated to the families of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Joshua 16 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 48:5 | "Your two sons, who were born to you... shall be mine; Ephraim and Manasseh..." | Jacob adopts Joseph's sons, giving them tribal status. |
| Num 26:52-56 | "The land shall be divided by lot... to the greater you shall give a larger..." | God's command for land distribution by tribe and size. |
| Deut 1:38 | "Joshua the son of Nun... he shall inherit it..." | Joshua commissioned to lead Israel to inherit the land. |
| Deut 3:28 | "Charge Joshua and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go..." | Moses' instruction to Joshua about leading the inheritance. |
| Deut 9:28 | "...but by Your power and by Your mighty hand You have brought them out." | God's power ensures their inheritance. |
| Josh 13:7 | "Now therefore divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes..." | General command to divide land in the west. |
| Josh 14:1-2 | "...which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads..." | The key figures overseeing the land division. |
| Josh 15:1, 20 | "The lot for the tribe of the people of Judah... This is the inheritance..." | Example of another tribe (Judah) receiving their lot. |
| Josh 16:1-3 | "The lot for the people of Joseph went from the Jordan... to the border of Lower Beth Horon." | Details the initial boundaries of Joseph's descendants. |
| Josh 16:10 | "But they did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer..." | Notes Ephraim's partial failure in fully possessing their inheritance. |
| Josh 17:1-6 | "There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh... for she had only daughters." | Details Manasseh's specific inheritance, including Zelophehad's daughters. |
| Josh 17:12-13 | "Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities..." | Manasseh also failed to fully possess their allotted territory. |
| Josh 18:2 | "...there still remain among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance..." | Shows the ongoing process of land distribution and inheritance. |
| Judg 1:29 | "Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer..." | Reiteration of Ephraim's failure to fully possess their land. |
| Ps 105:11 | "To you I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion of inheritance." | God's covenant promise of the land as an inheritance. |
| Ps 78:67-68 | "He rejected the tent of Joseph; He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim..." | Future sovereign choice of God regarding the leadership from Ephraim. |
| Ezek 47:13 | "Joseph shall have two portions." | Prophetic vision of land division in the new Jerusalem, reflecting Genesis 48. |
| Matt 19:29 | "...everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters... will inherit eternal life." | Spiritual inheritance for believers. |
| Acts 7:16 | "and were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had purchased..." | Links Joseph's burial to the land, later his descendants' inheritance. |
| Rom 8:17 | "...and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ..." | Believers as heirs to a divine, spiritual inheritance. |
| Eph 1:11, 14 | "In him we have obtained an inheritance... who is the guarantee of our inheritance..." | The Holy Spirit as a down payment on spiritual inheritance. |
| Col 1:12 | "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Believers sharing in God's spiritual inheritance. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | "By faith Abraham obeyed... as in a foreign land, living in tents..." | The promise of an inheritance obtained by faith. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "...to an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you..." | The heavenly nature of the believer's inheritance. |
| Rev 21:7 | "The one who conquers will inherit all these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son." | Final inheritance for those who overcome in Christ. |
Joshua 16 verses
Joshua 16 4 Meaning
This verse states that the descendants of Joseph, specifically the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, duly received their allotted territory as an inheritance within the Promised Land. It serves as a concluding summary to the description of their boundaries, highlighting the fulfillment of divine promise concerning the division of Canaan.
Joshua 16 4 Context
Joshua chapter 16 focuses on describing the inheritance allotted to the "house of Joseph," which encompasses the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (specifically Manasseh's western portion). Historically, this phase marks the fulfillment of God's centuries-old covenant promise to Abraham to give his descendants the land of Canaan (Gen 12:7, 15:18-21). Following the conquest campaigns, the land was now being systematically distributed among the Israelite tribes by lot, overseen by Joshua and Eleazar the priest, as commanded by Moses. Verse 4 serves as a summary statement following the definition of Ephraim's southern boundary (verses 1-3), affirming that these powerful and numerous descendants of Joseph had indeed received their designated share of the land, fulfilling a significant stage in God's redemptive plan for Israel.
Joshua 16 4 Word analysis
- Thus / So (וַיִּנְחֲלוּ - vayyinḥălû): This Hebrew verb, derived from naḥal (נָחַל), meaning "to inherit," is a consecutive imperfect, often translated as "so" or "thus." It signifies the culmination or completion of an action. Here, it marks the outcome of the land division, emphasizing that the tribes actually received their share as a definitive act, implying divine arrangement and fulfillment. It sets a conclusive tone, establishing a factual outcome.
- the children of Joseph (בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף - b'nê Yôsêf): This phrase explicitly identifies the beneficiaries. Joseph did not become a tribal head himself, but through his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, Jacob effectively gave him a double portion, thereby forming two distinct tribes. This linguistic construct acknowledges their unique patriarchal lineage and explains their significant joint inheritance, upholding the blessing Jacob gave Joseph in Genesis 48.
- Manasseh and Ephraim (מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרָיִם - M'nashsheh v'Efrayim): These are the two tribal names derived from Joseph's sons. While distinct, they are often referred to collectively as the "house of Joseph" due to their shared father and their combined strength. Ephraim, though the younger son, was elevated above Manasseh by Jacob's prophetic blessing (Gen 48:19-20), and accordingly received a very strategic and fertile central portion of the land. This mention specifies the components of the "children of Joseph."
- received their inheritance (נַחֲלָתָם - naḥălātām): This reiterates the core concept. The noun naḥălāh (נַחֲלָה) denotes an inherited possession or property, particularly land. It implies a divinely appointed and lasting share, emphasizing that the land was not merely conquered but was a sacred, permanent gift from God. The land served as a foundational aspect of Israel's identity and covenant relationship with Yahweh.
Joshua 16 4 Bonus section
The concept of "inheritance" (נַחֲלָה - nachalah) is crucial throughout the Old Testament. It signifies more than just property; it's a permanent, divinely-given possession that anchors the people to the covenant God. For Israel, this land inheritance foreshadowed a deeper spiritual reality for believers—an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading heavenly inheritance kept secure for them through Christ (1 Pet 1:4). Although Joshua 16:4 states they "received" their inheritance, later verses (Josh 16:10 for Ephraim, 17:12-13 for Manasseh, and Judg 1:29) show their failure to fully drive out the Canaanites from portions of their territory. This highlights an important theological principle: God's giving does not negate human responsibility or the consequences of incomplete obedience. The full blessing often required sustained effort and faithfulness.
Joshua 16 4 Commentary
Joshua 16:4 stands as a testament to God's unwavering faithfulness and the unfolding fulfillment of His ancient promises. It succinctly confirms that the strategic and fertile central highlands of Canaan, representing a substantial double portion, were indeed allotted to the powerful and populous descendants of Joseph. This act wasn't just a military conquest; it was the divine allocation of a sacred inheritance, reinforcing the truth that God provides for His people according to His covenant word. While the land was "received," the immediate full possession of all areas within their boundaries would require continued faith and obedience, highlighting the dynamic interplay between divine promise and human responsibility in their ongoing journey.